Spring is now well underway and with it comes a buzzing in the hedgerows: it's an emerging bee. But bees, and other pollinating insects, have suffered from dramatic declines in populations, and the search is on to locate the cause – writes Rose Nicole.
There is great concern across Europe about the collapse of bee numbers; bees – honey, bumble and solitary - are vital for pollinating crops. It's not just honey they provide.
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Although there may be several reasons why bee numbers have dropped, there is increasing evidence that a particular type of pesticide is causing considerable damage. There is now widespread belief that neonicotinoids are harming bees. One study indicated that they affected the ability of hives to produce queen bees; another that the pesticides damage their brains. After ferocious lobbying, by both those for and against a ban on these chemicals, the European Commission now says they should be restricted to crops not attractive to bees and other pollinators. It will impose a two-year restriction and the UK, who voted against a ban, cannot opt out.
But, away from large-scale agriculture, what should those of us with suburban city gardens do? There will be a ban on the sale of neonicotinoids to amateur growers. But before this comes into force, you can take action. Don't buy these chemicals and, if you've got them in your shed, dispose of them safely - the council can advise on this. If you see them in your local garden centre you could politely ask staff when they will be taking them off the shelves. So much better to watch as that solitary bee emerges in the sunshine and visits the blossom on your trees; and you can have the satisfaction of knowing your runner beans will be pollinated. By avoiding these chemicals, you can also be sure that you've made a significant contribution to maintaining biodiversity when it's under threat. The rewards are huge.
The following link shows the Soil Association's link to household pesticides containing neonicotinoids: http://www.soilassociation.org/wildlife/bees/householdpesticides
Neonicotiniods include: imidacloprid, thiamethoxam,thiacloprid, acetamiprid.
Rose Nicole
• Hear our interview with Greg Hewitt talking about the threat to bees at last year's Environmental Rock (starts about 12 minutes in).